Kenai Kardinal hockey closed tournament play at the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic with a 4-3 victory over Juneau to claim third place in the bracketed-tournament format at Big Lake. The Kardinals record two wins in the three-day tournament.
Kenai 4 – Juneau 3
The Kardinals scored four goals in the second period, including a pair of short-handed goals; then held off a late surge by Juneau for a 4-3 Kenai victory. Four different players scored for Kenai with goals recorded for Levi Mese, Nate Beiser, Jakeb O’Brien and Jordan Knudsen. In goal, Josh Tree turned-away 52 shots, as Juneau out-shot Kenai 55-20.
The Soldotna Stars finished closed a three-game tour through Fairbanks with a narrow 3-2 overtime loss to Lathrop at the Dipper Arena on Saturday.
SoHi 2 – Lathrop 3
The Stars Sam Skolnick and Journey Miller scored single goals for SoHi and goalie Corbin Wirz recorded 17 saves; as the Stars drop a second, overtime game in the past nine days. The Stars tied the game on the Miller goal midway through the third period; however Lathrop’s Andras Rszabo scored the third of his three goals in the overtime period on a deflection goal with only 1:42 remaining in overtime.
Weekend Scores–Kenai @ Big Lake Tournament
Kenai 6 – Palmer 5
Kenai 2 – Wasilla 6
Kenai 4 – Juneau 3
Weekend Scores–SoHi @ Fairbanks
SoHi 3 – North Pole 5
SoHi 1 – West Valley 6
SoHi 2 – Lathrop 3
